Passing game gets cooking: Cook sets season highs for completions, yards

MORRISON – Andrew Cook’s right arm got a bit of a workout Saturday afteroon.

The Morrison quarterback completed 9 of 15 passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns in the Mustangs’ 42-18 win against Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley in a Class 2A semifinal at Bud Cole Field.

Coming into the game, the senior had attempted 80 passes in 12 games, about 6.7 per contest, with season-highs of 13 attempts and 147 yards in Week 2 against Newman, and seven completions in Week 4 against Riverdale.

“I’ve been waiting all season to get this chance,” a smiling Cook said. “I knew I could do it, we just never really had to before.”

Both Cook’s TD passes were check-downs to the flat that fullback Josh Vos turned into long gainers – a 19-yard gain that started the scoring in the first quarter, and a 65-yarder that helped put Morrison ahead 14-12 on the second half’s second play.

Cook also completed four passes to Kyle Janssen for 65 yards, two to Patrick Wagenecht for 19, and one to Cory Swanstrom for 16, with one interception.

“The first half they confused us a little bit on defense,” Cook said. “At halftime, we figured out which plays we could run.”

Right side all right: Morrison faced 12 third downs, 10 of which the Mustangs converted into first downs.

Four were short-yardage runs by Vos up the middle. Three others were runs by Janssen toward the right side of the line, where senior tackle Zach Greul and sophomore guard Logan Kuehl were ready to lead the way.

“We all do as much as we can,” said Greul, who also forced a key fumble late in the first half that was recovered by fellow lineman Corey Modglin. “Our backs run so hard, we don’t have to give them much.”

Greul, Kuehl, and linemates Modglin, Kyle Patten and Ryan Claeys, and tight end Swanstrom, paved the way for 264 rushing yards on 41 attempts (6.4 yards per carry).

“Everybody has a job to do,” Kuehl said, “no matter where the ball’s going. All 11 guys have to do their job for the play to work.”